Police keeping close watch on me, alleges NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse

According to Khadse, when his daughter questioned the men stationed outside their home, they said they were from Hadapsar Police Station and had been sent by an officer named PI Jagdale

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Eknath Khadse on Tuesday alleged that plainclothes policemen have been monitoring his activities and even attending his press conferences posing as journalists. He questioned the purpose and legality of such surveillance, hinting at political motives behind the actions.

Khadse alleged that police personnel had been deployed near his residence without any official explanation. (HT)

Speaking at a press conference in Pune, Khadse claimed, “Eight to ten policemen in civil dress were present at this very press meet, pretending to be journalists. Why are police officials keeping watch on me like this? Who gave them permission to enter my house or attend my press conference? I have the right to speak freely. Are they trying to silence me?”

He alleged that police personnel had been deployed near his residence without any official explanation. According to Khadse, when his daughter questioned the men stationed outside their home, they said they were from Hadapsar Police Station and had been sent by an officer named PI Jagdale.

Khadse also raised questions about the ongoing police investigation into the recent party raid in Pune, in which his son-in-law, Dr Pranjal Khewalkar, was arrested. He said, “Why was he made the main accused when the drugs were reportedly found in a woman’s purse? She should have been the main accused, and the others treated as witnesses.”

He claimed that only seven people were present at the flat, there was no loud music, and the event could not be classified as a “rave party” as described by the police. “This entire narrative seems aimed at tarnishing my family’s image,” Khadse said.

He questioned the delay in the forensic drug test report, despite the fact that the alcohol test confirmed that Khewalkar had consumed liquor. “Why is the drug report delayed? We’ve seen tampering in the past, as in the Pune Porsche case. I fear the same may happen again,” he said.

Khadse alleged that Khewalkar’s phone and laptop were seized, and private family photographs were leaked to the media. “Who leaked these photos? It appears the police are acting on someone’s instructions,” he said, adding that his son-in-law had told him he had never consumed drugs and was being followed by plainclothes officers for three days prior to the raid.

Khadse demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and said he may consider legal action against the Pune Police.

Police deny surveillance claims

Responding to the allegations, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar denied any wrongdoing and defended the department’s actions as lawful and transparent.

“Information about the police action was already shared with the media. There is no reason to be suspicious about our conduct. No photo or information was leaked by the police. This is a digital era — people can take videos and photos during police actions, and we cannot prevent them from doing so,” he said.

Kumar also cited legal precedent to clarify that filming of police activity, even inside police stations, cannot be banned. “We don’t have any authority to stop people from recording videos or taking photographs of police operations,” he said.